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What to Know
- Trump visited hospital bedsides and a vital police base in stricken Las Vegas, offering prayers and condolences to the shooting victims
- U.S. officials said three U.S. Army special operations commandos were killed and two others were wounded when they came under fire in Niger
- Just weeks before Mark Salling was set to stand trial in his ongoing child pornography case, E! News has learned he entered a plea agreement
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“America Truly a Nation in Mourning”: Trump Visits Las Vegas
Solemn in the face of tragedy, President Trump visited hospital bedsides and a vital police base in stricken Las Vegas, offering prayers and condolences to the victims of the shooting massacre, along with the nation's thanks to first responders and doctors who rushed to save lives. The rampage killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500, many from gunfire, others from chaotic efforts to escape. In Las Vegas, Trump spoke of the families who "tonight will go to bed in a world that is suddenly empty." It was a somber address from a provocateur president who prides himself on commanding strength but sometimes has struggled to project empathy at times of tragedy. His solemn words in Las Vegas offered a sharp contrast to his trip a day earlier to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, where he spoke of the "expensive" recovery effort on the island and highlighted the relatively low death toll there compared with "a real catastrophe like Katrina" in 2005. Trump took a grim tour of Las Vegas, meeting face-to-face with victims and first responders.
3 U.S. Army Special Operations Commandos Killed in Niger
U.S. officials said three U.S. Army special operations commandos were killed and two others were wounded when they came under fire in southwest Niger. The officials said the two wounded were taken to Niamey, the capital, and are in stable condition. The officials were not authorized to discuss the incident publicly so spoke on condition of anonymity. The officials said the commandos, who were Green Berets, were likely attacked by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb militants. In a statement, U.S. Africa Command said the forces were with a joint U.S. and Nigerien patrol north of Niamey, near the Mali border, when they came under hostile fire. Africa Command said the U.S. forces are in Niger to provide training and security assistance to the Nigerien Armed Forces in their efforts against violent extremists.
Clues Few and Elusive for Motive of Las Vegas Gunman
Local
Those seeking to know the motive of Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock have had little more to chase than hints and shadows. Paddock led such a low-key, private life that no one seemed to know him well, and those who did had no sense he was capable of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. Where other mass killers have left behind a trail of plain-sight clues that help investigators quickly understand what drove them to violence, Paddock, 64, had nearly no close friends, social media presence or other clear connections to the broader world. Even the No. 2 official in the FBI said he was surprised investigators have not uncovered more about why a man with no obvious criminal record would cause so much bloodshed. Working with what little they know, investigators have zeroed in on a weapon-buying binge Paddock went on one year before he gunned down 58 people at a country music festival from a 32nd-floor room at the Mandalay Bay casino resort before killing himself. They wonder if he had some sort of mental break at the time that drove him to start making plans for mass murder.
Tillerson's Fury at “Moron” Trump Required Intervention From Pence, Officials Say
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was on the verge of resigning this past summer amid mounting policy disputes and clashes with the White House, multiple senior administration officials who were aware of the situation at the time told NBC News. The report prompted a response from Tillerson, who said he never considered resigning and President Trump said he maintained "total confidence" in his secretary of state. The tensions came to a head around the time President Trump delivered a politicized speech in late July to the Boy Scouts of America, an organization Tillerson once led, the officials told NBC News. Just days earlier, Tillerson had openly disparaged the president, referring to him as a "moron" after a July 20 meeting at the Pentagon with members of Trump’s national security team and Cabinet officials, according to three officials familiar with the incident.
Mark Salling Enters Plea Agreement in Child Pornography Case
Just weeks before "Glee" star Mark Salling was set to stand trial in his ongoing child pornography case, E! News has learned the actor has entered a plea agreement. In court documents obtained by E! News, the defendant plans to plead guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor. Salling has agreed to serve 4-7 years behind bars and will be under supervised release for 20 years. He will register as a sex offender and will pay restitution to each victim who has requested it. E! News has learned that the plea agreement still has to be accepted by the judge. The trial is also still set for October 17. Back in May of 2016, the "Glee" star was charged in a federal indictment with allegedly receiving and possessing child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Alex Morgan, 2 Orlando City Soccer Club Players Kicked Out of Disney
Three Orlando City soccer players were kicked out of Disney World after officials say they became verbally aggressive with park security and other guests. An Orange County Sheriff's Office report says Orlando City Lions players Donald Toia and Giles Barnes, along with U.S. women's national team standout and Orlando City Pride star Alex Morgan, were all escorted out of Disney World's Epcot park. Toia's wife was also ejected. The report says the group began arguing with other guests and workers after Barnes cut in line at the United Kingdom pavilion's pub. Morgan apologized for the incident. The Orlando City Soccer Club issued a statement saying it is aware of the incident. Both the Lions of Major League Soccer and the Pride of the National Women's Soccer League are out of action this week for international break.
